Gate valve



Feb. 13, 1951 M. PfLAURENT 2,541,968

GATE VALVE Filed April 25, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 awe/Mow MR Lauren? ATTORNEY Fe. 13, 195i M. P. LAURENT 2,541,968

GATE VALVE Filed April 25, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY 'erating" means are several.

Patented Feb. 13, 195i I OFFICE 2,541,968 GATE VALVE Milton 1?. Laurent, Houston, Tex'., assignor to W-K-M Company, a partnership Application April 25, 1949, Serial No. 89,520

7 Claims. (01. 251-70) invention relates to through conduit,

sliding gate valves, especially those of large size employed to control the flow in conduits carrying large volumes of fluids which may be under rather high pressure. By the termfthrough con- .duit is meant a valve which, when fully open, renders the conduit entirely unobstructed to flow at the valve opening.

. Sliding gate valves are used extensively in oil field and oil refinery pipe lines. These pipe lines not only commonly areof large diameter, necessitating the employment of valves of commensurate size, but also frequently carry fluid under extremely high pressures. Gate valves for control- 'ing the flow in such pipe lines usually are provided with a ported valve gate of sectional or multi-part construction adapted to handl pressure from either side. The sectional gate has relatively movable sealing elements which are forced apart mechanically to seat oppositely against the opposed valve seats that surround the ports in the valve housing. This expansion of the valve gate effects a tight seal between the gate and the valve seats in both open and closed positions. mechanical forces, which seat the sealing elements of the gate, usually are provided by a wedging action between the separate sections of the gate. Such wedging action takes place during th final movement of the gate, propelled by a valve stem, into fully open or fully closed position.

Although manual operation of large or highpressure valves of the type under consideration frequently is diflicult, such valves are infrequently equipped with power operating means. The reasons for such infrequent use of power op- The possibility of failure of some types of power is always present. Electric power means are expensive; while existing constructions which utilize fluid pressure power means, particularly if pneumatic, tend to cause jerky and uneven movement of the valve gate with consequent damage to the valve. Furthermore, power operation alone does not provide In valves of known construction, the

sults in, damaging the valve to such an extent that it fails. Many instances of such valve failures' are on record which involved not only lost production, but also in some cases the loss of an oil well.

- Hence, it is an object of this invention to PlO-r vide a gate valve, capable only of manual oper. ation, with power means to assist such operation. vIt is another object of this invention to pro-,

vide a manually-operable gate valve with inexpensive power means acting directly and positively on the valve gate to assist manual operation of the valve.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a manually-operable gate valve with fluid pressure power means to assist manual operation of the valve.

. It is a further object of this invention to provide a gate valve with manual operating means and power means to assist such manual operation, and in which the valve gate is balanced againstthe fluid pressure obtaining in the valve housing. 7

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational View, partly lIlSGC-v tion, of a gate valve embodying this invention.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a through conduit gate valve of the'wedging seal type, such as that disclosed in United States Letters Patent to M. P. Laurent, Reissue No. 20,101, dated September 8, 1936. The valve has a hous-- ing Ii] provided with an interior chamber H in which is housed the gate mechanism of the valve Aligned ports l2 and [3 formed in opposite walls of the housin are provided with parallel, pref-7, erably removable, valve seats l4 and I5. These seats have lateral side flanges 5, which together withthe seats serve to guide and confine the gate mechanism to substantially rectilinear movement. The upper portion of the housing is of known construction, having a bonnet ll 3 through which extends a valve operatin stem 18. The stem illustrated is of the rising type which is connected by two axially spaced sets of threads of opposite pitch to both the bonnet and the gate mechanism, as shown. Rotation of the stem l8 by a conventional handwheel l9 effects relative movement in opposite directions between the stem and the bonnet and between the stem and the gate mechanism. Hence, operation of the handwheel rapidly raises or lowers the gate mecha nism to open or close the valve. Although a par ticular valve stem has been shown, other types of manually-operable threaded valve stems, either I of the rising or non-rising type, can beemployed. I

The ported valve gate mechanism, which slides between the seats I4 and I in the guides I6, is formed in two sections, one herein termed the gate and the other the segment 2|. Both sec tions have ports 22 which in the open position of the gate mechanism, as shown in Figure l; are aligned with the ports I2 and I3 the hous ing to permit unobstructed passage of fluid through the valve. edly connected to the gate 20, endwise movement of which by the stern carriesthe segment 2| along as a unit, as will be described later.

The gate 20 and segment 2|, when assembled, are substantially rectangular in horizontal section, as shown in Figure 3, so that their flat outer faces 'sealingly engage the corresponding fiatfa'ced valve seats I4 and I5; It is obvious, however, that the sealing faces of the gate sections and corresponding faces of the valve seats may be arcuate' or other suitable shape in horizontal section, i. e., that section shown in Figure 3.

The inner opposed faces of the gate and se'g' ment are formed intwo angularly related planes which diverge transversely of the gate mechanism from acentral waist portion to provide two sets 23 and 24 of mutually wedging surfaces. The transverse proportions of the gate and-segment are such that when both sets 23 and 24 of inner wedging surfaces of these sections are in contact, i. e., the gate and. the segment are mated; the overall transverse dimension of the gate mechanism is slightly less than the distance between the valve seats. Hence, when the gate mechanism is fully contracted, sufficientclear ance' exists between the mechanism and the valve seats to enable the mechanism tobe moved freely and easily by the valve stem. Relative ndwise displacement, however,- of the gate and segment from their mated position, in.either directionalong the line of travel of the gate mechanism, results in amutual wedging action between the wedging surfaces of one of the two sets of such surfaces- This wed'ging action is effective to expand the gate mechanism andforce the outer sealing faces of the gate and s'egment oppositely into tight sealing engagement with their respective valve seats. Such relative end? wise movement is imparted to the gate and segment adjacent both ends of travel of the gate mechanism by interior shoulders or projections 25' and 26 on the bonnet n and'lower portion of the housing, respectively. These shoulders are engaged. by the corresponding ends of the segment 2| and stop the travel. thereof just before the gate 20, impelled by the valve stem, reaches its final limit of travel. Hence, the gate mechanism is expanded into tight sealing en: gager'nent with the valve seats in both the open and'th'e closed positions of the valve.

2 In order to contract the gate mechanism, once The valve stern l8 thread- 4 a the expanding force thereon is relieved, so that it may be moved freely and easily between the valve seats, positively acting means are provided. to effect relative endwise displacement of the gate and the segment in directions opposite to that effected during the final opening or closing movement, respectively, of the gate mechanism. Such means acts to return the gate and segment from their wedged position to theirinated position wherein both sets 23 and 24 of their inner wedging surfaces are in contact. The gate mechanism contractin means is located in the lower portion of a chamber 21 formed by opposed recesses in the inner faces of both the gate and the egment. The upper portion of the chamber receives the inner or lower end of the valve stem. A transverse lug 28 projects from the bottom or back wall of the gate recess and extends into the segment recess. Laterally-extending normally-straight resilient bars or rods 29 are snugly mounted. in correspondingly shaped bores or openings in the side or lateral walls of the see: ment recess with the central portion of the rods passing through similarly shaped openings oi bores in the lug 28. The bores in the lug are so positioned with respect to the bores the walls of the segment recess (as shown in Figures 3 and 4) that in all relative positions of the gate and segment, even when the gate '1neclia,- nism is contracted, the resilient rods are flexed or bowed so as to exert a transverse force on the? gate and segmentto hold these sections together. Additionally, the rod resist relative endwise displacement, in either direction, er the gate and segment from their mated position. If such end= wisedisplacement does occur, as the result of a wedging action, when. the displacing forcesare' relieved, the rods forcefully contract the gate mechanism, 1. e1; return the gate and segment into the positionwherein both setsoi their wedg= ing surfacesjare in contact.

Three resilient rods 29 are illustrated, but the. exact number. employed depends upon. the cam tracting forces needed and, to some extehh'oir the size ofthe valve. Additionally, such eerie tractin'g rods or springs may beeonstriicted iii accordance with the disclosure army copending".

appi eeuoh Serial No. 783,735,. Patent Na."

2,479,124; August 16, 1949 e contracting functio'n of the rods '29 -is particularly impercant in this type of valve fori preventing the occurrence. of a. situation known e essu e lock. Such a sit u ation may dc.- veloplwhen the valvev is in closed position and" the pressure obtaining in thefval ve chamber. I l

is greater thanthat on both sides of. the..l e;

When a valve of this type is in apressurelocle condition, it requires a-much (greater force than usual to in itiate movement of the gate mecha-s from closed to, open position. iAs-more pare ticularly described in the aforementioned copending application, however, the I contracting. springs or rodsv 29 prevent th occurrence of a. pressure lock.

Even when conditions favoring a pressure. lock are not present, initial movement of the, gate mechanism. inlarge valvesof this nature is difficult of manual performance;- Since the gate mechanism is wedged :tightly in both open and closed positions, the wed'ging surfaces in use;

sometimes become corrodedafter an: interval of.

non-operation. Such corrosion makes the valvev gate. mechanism stick to such an extent that a;

largeforce is required to. fstzu'tj or initiatemovemerit of the mechanism Fluid pressure seating forces alsowmust be overcome, during valve operation. ,Such forces exist when the pressure on one side of the line is greater than that on the other. and afterthev closing of the valve against high pressure. Under this condition that section of the gate mechanism which seals the low pressure side is under a difierential pressure which results ina high sliding friction between that section and its seat.

Accordingly, manual strength, even with the leverage afforded by the usual handwheel l9, sometimesis insufiicient to initiate movement of the valve, particularly the larger types that are underhigh pressure. Additionally, if the design rated pressure is exceeded in service, the fluid pressure seating forces may become so large that manual operation is exceedinglydiflicult, if not impossible. Hence, handwheel leverage often is supplemented by a lever bar inserted between the spokes, which bar frequently is struck with a sledge hammer to fstart the valve. Such practice not only may twist the valve stem in two, strip the threads, or shear the thrust collar, ifthe valve has a non-rising stem, but also is extremely dangerous to the operator. Under these high pressures frequently present, a leak or crack in the valve housing might emit a jet of fluid of such high velocity that it would be dangerous to human life, If such fluid is combustible, the fire hazard would be tremendous.

'1 Accordingly, this invention provides simple and inexpensive power means acting directly on the gatemechanism to assist manual operation of the valve. This'means in no sense renders. the valve a power operated valve. The valve at all times is controlled and can be operated only by operat on of the handwheel l9.

'I'hreadedly connected to the valve housing and pro ecting therefrom is a power cylinder 30.

The cylinder is disposed on the opposit 'side of the housing from the handwheel in alignment with the valve stem I8. As an alternative construction, not shown, the cylinder may be formed as an integral part of the housing and be provided with a removable closure on its outer end. Conventional fluid connections 3| and 32 are employed which are adapted to admit fluid under pressure selectively into each end of the cylinder -39.' A piston 33, slidably mounted in the cylinder, is provided with a-connecting rod 34 which sealingly passes through a conventional packing gland in the wall of the valve chamber and is detachably connected, as by a T-head and slot, to the lower end of the gate 20. The connecting rod 34 preferably is of the same diameter as the valve stem H3 in order to eliminate unbalanced endwise forces on the gate mechanism, which otherwise would be caused by a differential piston action of the rod 34 and stem l8, when there is pressure in the valve chamber II. The valve balancing efiect of such a construction is more fully described in United States Letters Patent to M. P. Laurent No. 2,161,175, issued June 6, 1939.

Th cylinder 36 may be supplied through suitable control valves (not shown) with pressure fluid from any convenient or conventional source, such as a pump or the line in which the valve is connected. If the line in which the valve is connected is used as the source of pressure Such a condition usually occurs during of, the va1ve,'i. e., the diameter of the valve ports l2 and I3 and, hence, the area of the gate mechanism exposed to line pressure. The ratio between such areas obviously may be so designed that the power available from the line is equal to the power necessary to move the gate mechanism against the action of the fluid pressure seating forces acting thereon, plus or minus a factor for miscellaneous friction, wear, etc.

In operation, to close the valve, fluid pressure is admitted into one end of the cylinder through the connection 32 and the other end of the cylinder is vented to atmospheric pressure rectly endwise on the gate mechanism that very little leverage is needed on the handwheel. Furthermore, the rate of closing and the final clearance between the gate mechanism and the valve seats may be finely controlled by the operator of the handwheel. Once the valve is closed, the pressure may be relieved in the cylinder 30. The valve is opened by admitting pressure fluid to the opposite end of the cylinder through the connection 3!, venting the other end through the connection 32, and turning the handwheel in the rcverse direction.

The power required throughout the valve opening movement of the gate mechanism, after its initial opening movement, is substantially uniform. Hence, if gas instead of liquid pressure is usedto operate the power cylinder, the gas pressure may be shut off after the initial opening movement and expansion of the gas, without further supply, relied upon to move the piston 33 throughout the balance of its valve opening stroke. Since maximum power is usually I required, however, at the end of the valve closing movement of the gate mechanism, pressure gas to close the valve should be admitted to the cylinder throughout the entire closing stroke of the piston.

7 vention may be applied to gate valves other than the wedging seal type. Therefore, the invention preferably is proportioned according to the size covers all modifications which come within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A gate valve comprising: a housing forming a valve chamber having aligned ports provided with opposed parallel valve seats; a valve gate mounted for rectilinear movement between said seats to open and close the valve; manuallyoperable screw means free of lost motion for posi-.- tively moving said gate to its open and closed positions, rectilinear movement of said gate being effected only upon operation of said screw means; and fluid-operated power means connected to said gate for assisting said screw means in the movement of said gate. N

2. A gate valve comprising: a housing forming a valve chamber having aligned ports provided with opposed parallel valve seats; a valve gate mountedhfor rectilinear movement between said seats to open and close the valve; a handwheel disposed exteriorly of. said housing; a positive connection free of. lostmotion between said hand- Wheel and said gate for moving saidgate toits open and closed positions only upon rotation of said handwheel, said connection including screw means connected to one end of said gate; and fluid-operated power means connected to the other end of said gate for assisting said handwheel in the movement of said gate;

3. A gate valve comprising: a housing forming a valve chamber having aligned ports provided with opposed parallel valve seats; a valve gate mounted ior' rectilinear movement between said sea-ts to openand close the valve; manually operablemeans tree of lost motion for positively movingsaid gate toits open and closed positions, said means including a valve stem and meansthreadedly engaging said stand for relative rotation therebetween, rectilinear movement Of said gate being efiectedonly by said relative rotation; a closed power cylinder positioned adjacent an end of said gate opposite said stem; a piston in said cylinder; and a rod aligned with said stem coni necting said piston to said gate, whereby'selective admission of fiuid under pressure to said cylinder on opposite sides of said piston assists said manually operable means in the movement of said gate.

4. The structure defined by claim 3 wherein the stem and the connecting rod are of substantially equal cross-sectional area, whereby the'gate is balanced against movement by fluid pressures obtaining in the. valve chamber.

'5.. A gate valve comprising: a, housingv forming I surfaces effective to forcesaid members oppositely into sealing engagement with their respec: tive valve seats when said members are shifted relative to each other in either direction along the-line of travel of. said gate means in said housv ing. for effecting said relative shifting of said members adjacent both ends of travel of j said gate; manually operable screw means freeoflost motion for positively moving said gate to its open and closed positions, rectilinear movement of said gate being eiTe-cted only upon operation of said screw means; and fluid-operated power 8? connected, to: said. one? gate member for assisting said screw. means in; themovemento'f said gate.

6, Lhe structure: definedzin claim- 5 including resilient means connecting said gate members-i0: constantly urging both said setsuof. wedging surefacesintocontact.

a LA gate valvecomprising: a-housing forming a valve chamber having alignedoportsrprovided with opposed parallel valve seats; a ported valvegate mounted ror rectilinear movementbetween said seats to: open and close, the valve, said. gate comprising. two abutting: members hayingyouter parallel-faces to engagesaid valveseatsv andinner opposed faces formed in two inclined, planes which diveige outwardly from the; central waist portions of said members toprovide two-1 sets: of wedging surfaces efiective to force saidmembers oppositely into sealing engagement with; 1212191121178! spective valve seats when said members, are shifted-relative to each other in either: direction along the line of travel of said gate; means in said housing 101' effecting said-J relative shifting oi said members adjacent both endsof travel. of said gate; a handwheel disposed exteriorly-oi said housing; a connection free of lost motioncbetween said handwheel and one end of one of said gate members for positively moving said gate to its open and closed positions only upon rotation of said handwheel, said connection including a valve .stemand means threadedly engaging. said stem for relative rotation therebetween, recti-' linear movementof said stem beingefiected only by'said relative rotationya closed: power cylinder mounted on said housing opposite said stem;.a

piston in said cylinder; and-a rod aligned with said. stem connecting said piston to' the other'e'nd off said one gate member, whereby selectiveadxmission of fluid underpressure to said'cylinder on opposite sides of said piston assists'saidthandwheel in the movement of said gate. MILTON P.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES. PATENTS 7 Date Laurent Aug. 16;; 1949 

